Author: 5hspx
Japan's government has admitted that an official photo of its new cabinet was manipulated to make its members look less unkempt after online speculation that it had been altered.Photos taken by local media showed the new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, and his defense minister with small pieces of white shirt visible under their suits.But in the official photo released Thursday by the Prime Minister's Office, the mess was gone.After widespread mockery online, a government spokesperson said Monday that “minor changes have been made” to the image.Spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters the image was manipulated because group photos taken by the…
The average house price in the UK came close to hitting a record high last month as falling mortgage rates helped boost buyer confidence, according to Halifax.The UK's largest mortgage lender said the average price reached £293,399 in September, just below the record high of £293,507 reached in June 2022.Prices have increased for three consecutive months, Halifax said, as market conditions improve.“Mortgage affordability has improved thanks to strong wage growth and falling interest rates,” said Amanda Bryden, head of mortgage lending in Halifax.“This has boosted confidence among potential buyers, with the number of completed mortgages exceeding 40% over the past…
Two Chinese nationals were killed and at least 10 people injured in a suspected suicide attack near Karachi airport in Pakistan.A third body, not yet officially identified, is that of the attacker, according to our information.The Chinese embassy in Pakistan said Sunday night's blast was a “terrorist attack” targeting a convoy of Chinese engineers working on a power project in Sindh province.The separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has carried out attacks on Chinese nationals involved in development projects in Pakistan in recent years, said it carried out the attack.In a statement released Monday, the activist group said it had…
BBCJudy Aleksalza bought her townhouse in the 1970s for just $1It is an idea of regeneration that originated half a century ago in the United States and has spread to other parts of the world. But can $1 houses reverse urban decay and who are the winners and losers?Judy Aleksalza's house in Baltimore's Pigtown neighborhood looks like a real-life version of the Tardis, the famous time-traveling police box from Doctor Who. It looks bigger on the inside than on the outside.It's part of a row of immaculately maintained 19th-century terraced houses – there are freshly watered plant pots in front…
Fay mannersFay Manners (right) climbed Chaukhamba Mountain with her climbing partner Michelle Dvorak (left)A British mountaineer who went missing in the Himalayas has spoken of her relief after surviving two days in “brutal” conditions that left her life threatening.Fay Manners, from Bedfordshire, and her climbing partner, Michelle Dvorak, from the United States, became stranded on Chaukhamba Mountain in northern India when the rope lifting their food, tent and their climbing gear broke, leaving them without provisions.The two men sent an emergency message from more than 20,000 feet (6,096 m), but search and rescue teams were initially unable to find them.Ms…
US NavyHMNZS Manawanui capsized after running aground off SamoaThe Royal New Zealand Navy has lost its first ship at sea since World War II, after one of its ships ran aground off the coast of Samoa.The HMNZS Manawanui, a specialist diving and ocean imaging vessel, encountered problems about a nautical mile from Upolu Island on Saturday evening local time while carrying out a survey of a reef.It then caught fire before capsizing.All 75 people on board were evacuated to lifeboats and rescued early Sunday, the New Zealand Defense Force said in a statement.Officials said the cause of the stranding was…
EPATwenty schoolchildren died on board the bus, as well as three teachersThailand is a country in shock: three days ago, 20 children and three teachers were killed when their bus was engulfed in flames.It was one of the worst road accidents in the Southeast Asian country, and investigators discovered a series of safety flaws that some say effectively turned the vehicle into a “bomb on wheels.He left the country – still mourning the loss of the 23 people on the bus – wondering how this could have happened and could it happen again?Video taken from the bus, after the driver…
Getty ImagesStefan Norblin stayed in India for six years, during which time he painted several muralsIn 1939, as German tanks and soldiers invaded Poland, a famous Polish artist and his film star wife pawned their jewelry and fled the country.Stefan Norblin and Lena left behind their dream house, which they were building, and their entire artistic heritage in exchange for security.The couple aimed to seek refuge in America and traveled through Romania, Turkey and Iraq, eventually arriving in colonial India, where they spent six years.Their long stopover resulted in an unlikely collaboration between the artist and Indian maharajas (rulers) and…
Getty ImagesIt's the end of a meal at a restaurant and you're presented with the bill. Suddenly, the enjoyment of the food you just ate is replaced by a slight wave of anxiety as you realize you have to figure out how much to tip.If you tip too little, will you face the wrath of the waiters? Do you end up tipping too much? What if the service was bad, should you tip?The debate is not limited to restaurants: tips can be offered to many workers, including hairdressers, taxi drivers and hotel porters.A new law requires workers to receive their…
As the conflict in the Middle East spreads, rising oil prices are closely watched.The cost of oil affects everything from the price of food at the supermarket to the price of filling up your car.The price of crude oil rose nearly 10% this week to around $78 per barrel due to the intensifying conflict. That may seem like a big jump, but the price of crude oil tends to be volatile, and following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a barrel of benchmark Brent crude reached nearly $130.The rise comes as many countries, including the UK, are just beginning to recover from…